‘Awa & Talanoa
Join us at the AISES National Conference
At the AISES National Conference, participants are invited into talanoa—a relational dialogue centered on empathy, trust, deep listening, and connection—while gathering around ʻawa, a traditional Pasifika beverage made from the root of the kava plant and shared ceremonially in many Pasifika cultures.
ʻAwa creates a space to slow down, gather, reflect, and build relationships. Through this practice, Pasifika diaspora communities come together with our Indigenous relatives and cousins across Turtle Island, creating space for cultural exchange, shared knowledge, wellness, and relationship-building.
Facilitated with cultural integrity and care, ʻAwa & Talanoa brings Pasifika ways of gathering and knowing into the AISES community, strengthening Indigenous and Pasifika visibility and connection across STEM.
Storytelling as remembrance,
Dialogue as Resistance,
unity as power
‘Awa & Talanoa
Offered through the cultural guidance of Kumu Dr. Lelemia Irvine, ʻAwa & Talanoa brings together ancestral knowledge, Indigenous science, and cultural practice—creating space for Pasifika diaspora to reconnect with our traditions while building relationships with our Indigenous relatives and cousins across Turtle Island.
Register for the 2026 ‘Awa & Talanoa at AISES today!
‘Awa & Talanoa Council
-
Kumu Dr. Lelemia Irvine
A Kanaka ʻŌiwi physicist, cultural practitioner, and scholar whose work brings Indigenous knowledge, cultural practice, and ancestral teachings into STEM and academic spaces; he co-founded ʻAwa & Talanoa.
-
Dr. Ponipate Rokolekutu
An iTaukei scholar and Associate Professor at San Francisco State University whose work centers Pacific Islander studies, Indigenous epistemologies, Vanua and Talanoa pedagogy, and decolonial praxis.
-
Dr. Kyle Yoshida
A Kanaka ʻŌiwi roboticist and Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA whose research spans soft robotics, haptics, and human-robot interaction, and who founded HONUA Scholars to expand STEM opportunities for Native Hawaiians.
-
Hokulani Sharp
A Native Hawaiian STEM and community advocate, AISES Board member, and experienced leader in program, operations, and stakeholder engagement who works to expand opportunities and visibility for Indigenous communities in STEM.